media_artricles :: 2018

Richards, Ahye favourites for FCB awards

National track athletes Jereem "The Dream" Richards and Michelle-Lee Ahye are expected to capture the top awards when the First Citizens Sports Foundation host its annual sports awards on Saturday 24th March 2018 at the Queen's Hall, Port of Spain to honour 2017's top senior and junior national athletes.

Richards of Point Fortin enjoyed a fairy tale 2017 as he produced arguably the greatest season in Alabama track and field history.

Richards won the 200 meters title at the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championship and finished his sole season in Tuscaloosa having run seven of the ten fastest 200 meter outdoor times in school history as he inked his name into the elite sub-20 club.

Notwithstanding collegiate success, Richards arrived at the World Championships in London a relative unknown on the world stage.

His fine run of 20.05 seconds was the fastest time of any competitor in the first round of the 200 metres, immediately thrusting him from obscurity into contention as one of the favourites.

His bronze in the 200 meter final in a time of 20.11 confirmed his medal potential.

Richards then ran an epic second leg to secure a stunning World Championship victory for the T&T men's 4 x 400 metres relay team. Receiving the baton well off the lead, Richards ran the fastest split of the four T&T relay legs to make up considerable ground creating history as team T&T won gold.

Meanwhile, the dynamic and self-expressive Ahye, who won the award in 2016, her first, is one of the fastest women in the world.

The undisputed T&T speed queen recorded a personal best 10.82 seconds in the final of the National Championship at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, shattering the 100 metres national record in the process. The blistering run was the second fastest time recorded by a female athlete, over 100 meters in the world during 2017.

Her sizzling form on local soil continued in the 200 meter final, a season's best 22.50 seconds secured the title at the National Championships as she successfully defended her double sprint crown.

The highlight of her busy international race calendar saw her sprint to a third place finish in Morocco at the Vid Athletisme De Ra Bat meet in a time of 11.02 seconds.

At the IAAF World Championships in London Ahye eased through the qualifying rounds booking a berth in the women's 100 meter final with a run of 11.04 seconds in the semis. In an enthralling final, Ahye finished sixth in a time of 11.01 seconds

Overall, 25 women and 26 men are up for the Senior awards while 17 girls and 24 boys are in the hunt for the top junior accolades.

The athletes were chosen by the Foundation's selection committee, headed by Chairman Dr. Keith Clifford and aided by sporting associations through the nominations of athletes.

THE 2017 NOMINEES

Senior Men

Jereem Richards (athletics), Yazid Ali (automobile), Stuart Johnson (rally), Alistair Espinoza (badminton), Nigel Paul (boxing), Matthew Robinson (canoeing/kayaking), Ryan Harper (chess), Shannon Gabriel (cricket), Quincy Alexander (cycling), Nathan Lewis (football), Joseph Fox (gymnastics), Sachin Kumar (golf), Jordan Vieira (hockey), Jelanie Boyce (judo), Darryl Thomas (karate), Akeem Stewart (Paralympics), Rondel Hunte (powerlifting), Trevor Sun (powerboats), Roger Daniel (rifle shooting), Shakeel Dyte (rugby), Kale Wilson (squash), Dylan Carter (swimming), Yuvraaj Dookram (table tennis), Joseph Cadogan (lawn tennis), Daniel Ragbir (target archery), Jason Costelloe (triathlon).

Senior Women

Michelle Lee Ahye (athletics), Allison Gajadhar (automobile), Jada Renales (badminton), Felice Chow (canoeing), Gabriella Johnson (chess), Teniel Campbell (cycling), Kimika Forbes (football), Serena Mackenzie (golf), Petal Derry (hockey), Latesha Gill (judo), Tamara Joseph (karate), Kalifa Mc Collin (netball), Nyoshia Cain (Paralympics), Syanna Andrews (powerlifting), Marsah Bullen-Jones (rifle shooting), Nicolette Pantor (rugby), Charlotte Knaggs (squash), Amira Pilgrim (swimming), Kelly-Ann Arrindell (sailing), Brittany Joseph (table tennis), Breanna Stampfli (lawn tennis), Megan Lawrence (taekwondo), Priyanka Dhanie (target archery), Jenna Ross (triathlon), Merissa Aguilleira).

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